Why Do I Bother? Tips for Staying Motivated

If you're a writer, you've probably said this many times… My writing isn't any good.  I know. Been there, done that and have the wastebaskets full of crumbled papers.

Initial doubts begin with your first critique session. You've taken your brilliant manuscript to your writing group expecting them to be wowed by your creative genius. Instead your fellow writers suggest you cut paragraphs, improve your grammar, add emotion, and delete extraneous dialog tags and much more.

You’re crushed and think this writing thing just isn't worth it! Or you may think what do they know? This was written from your heart and readers will cherish your wit(Like Ralphie in A Christmas Story movie where he expects to see A++++ from his teacher for his lackluster theme about why he should have a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas).  That was my first impression after one of my critique sessions. But I did go back to the next group get-together.

What writers who have been at it for awhile know is at one time they were in your same situation. As writers, we’ve all gone through this step and see it repeated over and over with new writers. I didn’t give up and neither should you. Writing is a learning process and so are critiques. Make sure you understand the grammar and style suggestions. Ask your fellow scribes for suggestions on writing courses and their favorite books on writing. We all want to succeed – and we want you to be a success as well.

The results depend on you. An “overnight” writing success usually takes multiple manuscripts before the first one takes off. Good writing takes practice. I laugh when I hear someone finished their first draft and think it’s ready to go off to the printer right then and there. A good writer can find improvements to their manuscript even after it has been edited several times.

Like the old adage for musicians…How do you get to Carnegie Hall?

                                                         Practice, man. Practice.

It’s the same with writing. You need to practice and learn how to make a lyrical composition with words that will resonate with your readers.

Writers need to be readers, too. Read in the genre you want to write. Study other authors’ books to see what draws you into their stories. And don’t be surprised if you find occasional errors. After all, no one is perfect; but a good editor will usually weed out most of the mistakes.

Soon you’ll find ways to improve your own stories. And you’ll start to see when the prose is’t working as your inner editor starts critiquing your writing.

To answer the question I originally posed at the start. Why I bother is I love to write and share stories where readers can learn from my characters as they reach for their dreams. Maybe that will give them the impetus to reach for their own goals.

This post is part of the Writing Contest: Writers Crushing Doubt. Hosted by Positive Writer. For details and more positive tips on writing, go to the link below.  

http://positivewriter.com/become-the-writer/#disqus_thread

Keep on writing!

Are You Ready to Power-Up Your Writing?

“Image courtesy of National Novel Writing Month.”

National Novel Writing Month Powers Up with Half a Million Writers

In its 15th year, National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) expects a historic 500,000 writers to join the largest writing event in the world. The challenge? To write 50,000 words of a novel in the 30 days of November. Half a million people on all seven continents (including one very chilly writer at Antarctica's McMurdo Station) will set aside the time to write their stories this November.

Through the Young Writers Program, NaNoWriMo will also provide free resources and curriculum to more than 80,000 students and educators in 2,000 classrooms around the world. Additionally, 692 volunteer Municipal Liaisons will host write-ins and events in 500 regions around the world.

NaNoWriMo is an unbeatable way to write the first draft of a novel because it’s such a powerful antidote to that horrible foe of creativity: self-doubt,” said Grant Faulkner, Executive Director. “NaNoWriMo is a rollicking conversation about all aspects of writing, and an invitation to dare to do what seems impossible. As many NaNoWriMo writers have discovered, the best way to learn to write a novel is by simply plunging in to write a novel.”

NaNoWriMo 2013: New and Powered Up NaNoWriMo version 2013 boots up as an 8 bit adventure that encourages writers to "Power Up Your Story. Power Up Your Voice." This year's art comes courtesy of Jake Fleming, co-founder of Piasa Games. NaNoWriMo 2013 also offers a newly designed website. "We've redesigned our site to be more intuitive for both new and experienced users: it will guide them through the entire NaNoWriMo journey from start to finish. We've also integrated a responsive layout for phones and tablets, so writers can be inspired anywhere,” says Chris Angotti, Director of Programs.

The 2013 Published Author Line Up

An incredible line up of authors will support writers participating in NaNoWriMo with letters full of wisdom and encouragement. These Pep Talkers includes James Patterson,Lev Grossman, and Rainbow Rowell, who wrote the first draft of her criticallyacclaimed YA novel,Fangirl, during NaNoWriMo 2012.

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NaNoWriMo 2013 will also have five published authors take over its Twitter account as NaNoWriMo Coaches, answering questions and cheering on participants as they write, including Jason Hough, author of the New York Times bestseller The Darwin Elevator, first drafted during NaNoWriMo.

Expanded Programs

For the first time, Come Write In, a program that offers free resources and support to literacy related spaces, will expand beyond libraries and bookstores. Three hundred and ninety spaces, including cafes and community centers (and even an American style pizza restaurant in Japan),

will become local beacons for creative writing through NaNoWriMo

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Debbie Millman, president of the design division at Sterling Brands, returns to run "30 Covers, 30 Days", which challenges designers to create a book cover for a participant's novel in progress in 24 hours. A celebration of the collaboration between design and writing, this program will inspire authors and provide prints for an Art of NaNoWriMo event in winter 2014.

National Novel Writing Month is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that believes stories matter. Through our programs, including the Young Writers Program, the Come Write In program, and Camp NaNoWriMo, we work hard to empower and encourage vibrant creativity around the world.

 

To learn more and to sign up go to http://nanowrimo.org/about. You will be glad you did.